WMJT
WMJT is an the ABC affiliate for the Milwaukee, WI area, including greater Milwaukee, Racine County, and Northern Illinois outside of Chicago. Broadcasting on channel 6, WMJT is owned and operated by the Journal Media Group. Launching in 1960, WMJT is the third oldest station in the market, behind WMIW (1954) and WCAN (1955). It maintains studio facilities located on East Mason Street in Downtown Milwaukee with transmitter facilities located 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Downtown Milwaukee. History The Journal Company (owner of the Milwaukee Journal, which was consolidated with the Milwaukee Sentinel in 1995 to become the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) was granted its first television station license in September 1931 for experimental station W9XD, using a low-definition electromechanical system. The station conducted field tests from 1931 to 1933, before converting its facilities to experimental high-fidelity apex radio unit W9XAZ in 1934. Its license was withdrawn by the Federal Communications Commission(FCC) in 1938 as part of an effort to limit broadcast licenses to stations that actively engage in the development of television. No publicly announced television programming was broadcast by W9XD during this experimental period. The Journal Company obtained one of the first commercial television construction permits issued by the FCC on December 7, 1941, under the call letters WMJT (for "Milwaukee Journal Television"), and built a new broadcast facility by August 1942. But the U.S. War Production Board halted the manufacture of television and radio broadcasting equipment for civilian use from April 1942 to August 1945, suspending the company's television plans. 15 years later, WMJT was finally able to sign on. Immediately taking the ABC affiliation, WMJT finished a distant third behind WCAN and WMIW in the television race (as ABC is a distant third behind NBC and CBS). WMJT managed to weather the storm when WIBG signed on and became an ABN affiliate in 1965 and WRMI signing on and becoming an RKO affiliate in 1971. However, their luck changed when ABC became the no. 1 rated network in 1977, and because of ABC becoming no. 1, WMJT started beating WCAN, WMIW, WIBG, and WRMI in the ratings. But when NBC went to no. 1 in 1985, WMJT's ratings plummet, causing WMIW to become the no. 1 station in the market. After 25 years at finishing in the middle in the market (behind WCAN, WIBG, and WRMI), WMJT finished second behind WIBG for five straight years. The streak finally broke in 2017 when, for the first time since 1984, WMJT finished no. 1 overall in the market. Newscast Launched in 1972, WMJT's newscast became the no. 1 rated newscast from 1976-84. However, from 2010-16, ABC Action News 6 finished third, behind RKO NewsWatch 11 (WRMI) and CBS 25 News (WCAN). Finally in 2017, ABC Action News 6 mainly thanks to ABC's primetime schedule, finished first overall in the market for the first time since 1984. The Journal Launched in 2007, The Journal is a political series produced by Journal Communications. ''The Journal ''airs from 6-7 PM, and is hosted by Chip Johnson, with Bill Monroe, Jim Houston, and Tom Jonavich as the panelists. Former Newscast Titles 1972-85: Channel 6 Action News 1985-90: Channel 6 News 1990-2005: ABC 6 News 2005-Present: ABC Action News 6 Programming Schedule Past Logos Category:Milwaukee Category:ABC affiliated stations Category:Wisconsin Category:Channel 6 Category:Television channels and stations established in 1960 Category:Journal Media Group Category:Stations that use "Action News"